Sharing information with the York University community is vital in the lead up to the safe return to our campuses and as we continue with planning efforts over the summer months. This inaugural special issue is one of the many ways we are sharing what we know and what we are working towards with respect to this return.
There is a tremendous amount of behind-the-scenes and collaborative work involved in pandemic-related response and planning at York University. We are actively planning for a fall term that, while still not like what we have been accustomed to from pre-pandemic times, will be quite different from the difficult year that is nearly behind us.
I hope you enjoy this issue and that it gives you a greater sense of the work being done to prepare for a safe return to campus life. More issues will be coming over the summer months and in the meantime, please continue to follow the Better Together website and look for the weekly Wellness Wednesday Return to Campus Special Issue, where we will be sharing more updates.
Parissa Safai
Special Advisor to the President for Academic Continuity Planning and COVID-19 Response
Featured in this issue of Welcoming ‘YU’ Back
The Welcoming YU Back Roadmap
The Welcoming YU Back Roadmap aims to offer a clear picture of how York University is planning to welcome students, staff, faculty and instructors back safely in the 2021-22 academic year.
The top 12 ways York is ‘Welcoming YU Back’
With more in-person learning expected on campus this fall, the University is getting ready to welcome students, faculty and staff back safely. Enhanced cleaning procedures, mandatory face coverings or masks, physical distancing and plexiglass barriers, and touchless building entrances are just some of the preparations outlined on this comprehensive list.
Creating a community of care at York
As planning for the return to campus continues, one thing is clear – all members of the York community will share in the responsibility of keeping others safe on the University’s campuses in the Fall and Winter terms.
Q-and-A with Vice-President Research and Innovation, Amir Asif, on returning to campus
York University’s Vice-President Research and Innovation, Amir Asif, sits down with YFile to discuss what a return to campus will mean for researchers at York. He feels optimistic, proud of the research community’s performance in the face of the pandemic, and is ready to welcome academics, scholars and researchers back when the timing is right.
Then and now: The teams that keep York safe
Over the past year, York University has continued to operate safely. Maintaining operations in a fast-moving pandemic is no easy task. It requires careful monitoring of safety requirements, a great deal of logistical planning and professional dedication.
Vaccination required for students living in York University’s residences
York University is requiring all students living in residence for the 2021-22 academic year to be vaccinated. This requirement is supported by Toronto Public Health, as it is recognized that vaccines are a safe and effective way to protect those who come in contact with others.